Support for retractable ladder for vehicles



June 16, 1953 v. E. JENTmNGs 2,642,217

SUPPORT FOR RETRACTIBLE LADDEfi' FOR VEHICLES Fild Sept 28, 1949 Victor E. Jennings INVENTOR.

Patented June 16, 1953 OFF C SUPPORT FOR RETRACTABLE LADDER FOR VEHICLES Victor E; Jennings, Ripley, Tenn. Application September 28, 1949, Serial No. 118,358

1 Claim. (01. 228-48) v The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in ladder attachments for trucks and similar motor vehicles and more particularly to a retractable ladder disposed in' a concealed out-of-the-Way position when not in use.

An important object of the invention is to provide novel means for locking the ladder in its retracted concealed position to avoid danger of losing the ladder when in transit.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment of this character of simple and practical-construction, which is strong and durable, which may be easily and quickly attached to the truck body without necessitating any changes or alterations in the construction thereof and which, at the same time, is'relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

' Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein lik numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view;

Figure 2 is a top plan view showing the ladder detached from the truck;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Figure 2; and,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a pair of rails each formed with a longitudinal slot 6 and rigidly connected to each other by cross bars I, one of the cross bars being positioned at the lower edges of the rails adjacent the rear end thereof, as shown at 8.

The rails 5 are attached to the underside of a truck body 9 at its rear end by means'of a pair of front hanger straps l secured at their upper ends to the truck body by bolts or the like I! and secured at their lower ends to the rails by bolts or the like I2 received in the front end of slot 6. The rear ends of the rails are secured to the truck body 9 by brackets l3.

A retractible ladder is shown at M and includes angle iron side rails I5 positioned at the inside of rails 5 and provided at their front ends with outwardly extending headed pins I6 slidably positioned in slot 6 of rail 5. Steps or rungs I! are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the side rails l5 in an inclined position to position the I5 of the ladder at the rear end thereof to facilitate raising and lowering of the same.

A beveled lug I 9 is suitably secured to the lower edge of one of the side rails I5 of the ladder to form a catch which rides over the rear cross bar 8 as the ladder is moved in its retracted position into a position in front the cross bar 8 to lock the ladder in its raised retracted position. The ladder is held in its locked position by means of a leaf spring 20 which is secured at one end to one of the ladder rails l5 by a bolt and nut 2| and extends rearwardly therefrom in an upwardly curved position to engage one of the cross beams 22 of'the truck body.

In the operation of the device the rails 5 are secured to the underside of the truck body 9 in the manner indicated and with the ladder slidably mounted in'the slot 6' of the rail.

The ladder, I 4 is held in its raised retracted position by catch l9 and spring 20 to prevent ladder the spring 20 is released and the rear end,

- of theladder I4 is raised upwardly by handle I9 sufficiently to clear catch l9 from the cross bar 8 and the ladder may then be moved rearwardly along rails 5 into its lowered position.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention asherein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A support for a retractible ladder for vehicle bodies comprising a pair of rails each having a longitudinal slot adapted for slid-ably and swingably supporting a ladder between the rails for movement of the ladder from a vertically inclined position at the rear of the rails into a retracted position parallel to and between the rails, a hanger at the rear end of each rail adapted for attaching to the underside of a vehicle body, and hangers slidably adjustable in the slots and adapted for attaching the front ends of the rails Number Name Date to the underside of the vehicle body. 2,153,945 Thelander Apr. 11, 1939 2,457,380 Kelherer Dec. 28, 1948 VICTOR E. JENNINGS. 2,487,660 McCann Nov. 8, 1949 5 7 References Cited in the file of this patent N b FOREIGI: PATENTS um er Coun ry Date UNIIED STATES PAIEMS 216,128 Germany Nov. 12, 1909 Number 9 Name 1 Date 357,006 Hofi'man Feb. 1, 1887 10 1,148,356 Chickering July 2'7, 1915 1,168,339 Seibert Jan. 18, 1916 

